Centrifugal pump



A. R. WILFLEY.

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNESO, I919.

1,346,926. Patented July 20,1920.

noentoz UNIT cmv rmrneai PUMP,

I r To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR R. WILFLEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county ofDenverand State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Pumps;

' and I do declare the following to be a full,

My invention relates to-1mprovements in centrifugal pumps.

- My present improvement which the water is raised by suctionf'as distinguished from those pumps in which the water level is above the runner chamber, and

" where the passage of waterinto and through the pump is not dependent upon suction,

C though my present improvement -is also adaptedfor use Where ditions obtain. I

It will "be understood that ina suction pump a vacuum condition must be maintained .in' the 'runner chamber; hence no air must .be allowed to enter) from the atmosthe last named conphere'. Furthermore,the style of pumpto which my improvement is applied is that in 'which the opening in the pump casin through which the shaft passes is of su size that'the shaft is free from the casing. In other words, the opening around the Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Application filed June 30,1919. Serial-No. 807,799.-

is especially I adapted for use inthat class of"pu mps in ED STATES P ;T 1 '1" OF E? i ARTHUR sa. YWIIEFLEIY, or IDENVEB, conomno.

being that the water is prevented from ass; ing out I through the opening, aroun the shaft when the pump is in: operation.

But n my presentconstruction I must revent the atmospheric air from entering the runner chamber, otherwise the suction would be broken. and the pump. inoperative.

July-20. .1929.

Broadly speaking, in order to accomplish the aforesaid result, I provide" through the agency of centrifugal forcea water seal between the opening around the runner shaft and the runner chamber, whereby. the en trancei of air to the latter is prevented, otherwise my construction is substantially cation.

Having briefly outlined myimprovement,

reference being drawing, in w ich is illustrated an embodiment thereof. In this drawing:

vation of-ajcentrifugal pump equipped with my improvements.

.Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2+2, I

Fig. 1, looking toward the right-Z I Fig. 3 is a section taken on tlie same line, .looking toward the left.

Fig. v.4 is a section'taken on" looking toward the 'ri ht.v

The same reference 0 aracte rs indicate the "same parts in all the views. I I Let the numeral 5 designate a stationary the same as disclosed in my, aforesaid appli- I' willpro'ceed to describethe same in detail, 1

made to the accompanying Figure 1 is'a vertlcal sect on partly in elethe line casing -upon which is inounted a chamber 6, whichis connected withvthe main casing 7 in which the'runner 81s arranged. The

. shaft is in communication with the atmos .runnerfis connectegha's shown at 9, with of this character may be 'adaptedfor use 40 phere'. Hence, in order that a construction No. 303,8'9l, filed June 13t 1919,1eXcept that in the latterconstluction it is assumed that the head of water is above'the runner chamber, so that suction is'not relied-upon for drawing the water or other liquid into the pump. Hence,-atmospheric a-i'r' maylenter aroundthe shaft, the only desideratum is mounte at a Suitable distance beyond the runner-chamber,- a.d1sk 12, located in acha'mber 13 formed by a part 14, stationary withthe casingandra head 15, which w is secured to the part 14:. by suitable fastening devices,"as bolts lbff The/chamber 13 is in communication with the runner chambe'r through an opening 17, and also with in operav theatmosphere .when the pump is -one extre ity ofjthe-shaft 10,.upon which tio'n, through openings 18 an'dl, around the shaft, the opening" 18v being between the "member 12 and the; shaft, and the opening'i19 bein between-theshaft and p 2Q in m carried bythe casing. When the pump is at rest, or inactive, a member 22 fastjon ona 'flexible diaphragm' 21',

the. shaft, cooperates with a packing member 23, carried by the part to form a joint, which seals the chambers of the p ump structure from the atmosphere,- hen, however, the pump is in operation, the joint {is opened through the instrume'ntaL;v ity of a centrifugal governor composed of two parts, 24 and 25, and balls 26, arranged therebetween, whereby the member 24, as the balls are thrown outwardly under the action of centrifugal force, is moved toward the runner chamber and carries with it a member 27, which is connected b a fastening device 28 with the part 20, which, by virtue of said constructiomis also moved toward the runner chamber, this move- '.ment being permitted by the flexible diaphragm 21, upon which the part 20 is mounted, as heretofore explained, thus separating the packing member 23 of the part 20 from the cooperating rib of the part 22. When this occurs it will be understood that the chamber 29 in -which the part is 10-.

cated, is in communication with the atm0s-- phere.

It should be explained that-the governor member 25 is fast on the shaft and interlocked with the member 24;, whereby the latter rotates with the shaft" and with the openings 18 a'nd19 around the shaft and enters the ortion of the chamber 13 close to the sha t on'the side of the vanes 37. This air is seeking to" enter the runner chamber in response .to the vacuum 'pro-. duced by the runner butthe centrifugal; force imparted to the water by the vanes '36 is sufficient to prevent the air-from pa ssing from the side of the disk 12, wherethe vanes 37 are located, to the op osite side. In other words, the centrifuga force imparted to the water by the vanes 37 is somewhat greater than that impartedby the vanes-36, but as the air, enters the chamber 13 on the side of the vanes 37,-it

follows the water outwardly until a balance is reached between the water and air on the side of the disk where the ,vanes 37 are located, andgthe water on the side where the vanes 36 are located. By virtueiof this construction, it is impossible for the air on the one) side of theldisktl2 to pass beyond the outer edge of the disk-where a" water-fiscal is maintained to prevent tlie'entrance of atmospheric air to' the runner chamber when the ump is in "operation and relying on suction to draw the water into the runner chamber.

'As' illustrated in the drawing','I may .em-

part 25. The member 24, however, is loose ploy a small pipe 39, which communicates on the shaft, but normally held'in the-post yvlth a passage 4Q formed ln j g tion illustrated in Fig. 1, by a spiral spring Introducing asmall amount'of Water to the 30, which engages a stop collar'31 on, the chamber 41 betw en the P 12' d the shaft at one' end and th rt 24 t th flexible diaphragm for the purpose of keep posite end. The part 27 has a depending in'gthe openin 18 around the shaft for projection 32, which enters a, recess formed "in n e, from v in a collar 33, having a rib 34, which enters rupted by sandor other fore gn m r- 0 a circumferential groove formed in th .thi'siendthe member 18 ,below the shaft 'is part 24, whereby the part 33 is moved in. the recessed, as shown at 4:2, to allow thiswater direction of th axis. ofthe v shaftby the to pass through into'the chamber-I3 and coming clogged or inter governor member 24, but does not rotate thence into the runner chamberq-Thisisan therewith. Hence, by virtue of. this" cpn struction, the movement of the governor member 24 toward and away from the run ner chamber actuates the member. 27 to seal and .unseal the afpresaid joint 'by virtue of s the mbvementimparted to the 1 member 20. The disk 12-is secured to the runner shaft by means of a set screw 35,

gnen with curved vanes 36 and provided adjacent the shaft with a and is provided on the face toward the runon its'oppO- site"side by similar vanes 37. p

The part 15 inclosing the chamber liaris rojecto rotate, the balls 26 of thelcentrifugal gov,-

e'rnor will be thrown"outwardly and act? tion38, which extends toward the isk 12 upon -the member 24" of they governor and 1s vanes 37. The -vanes 36 ,are somewhat shorter thanathe vanes. 37; "hence the 'centrifugal force: imparted to the; watch Hy .joint formed by; the. parts 20 and is opened, the air which' 'ls jcommuni cation with the chamber adjacentthe inner extremities of the {throughthe medium of the zconnectiops heretofore explained, Yto open thejoint be; tween the parts 20' 'and. 22, whereby the openings =18 andq19 are in communication :with the atmosphere andthe air entering 1 25 pressure increasesthe force wit vanes36, is suflicient to balance the force provided with a suetion'opening' and an imparted to the water by the vanes".-37.

While the amount of. water onthe side of the disk where the vanes'37 are located is less than that on the opposite .s'dle, thegreater length of thevanes 37 1plus the air which the water is carried outwardly, suflicient to balance the force of the water on the side of the vanes 36, thus preventing the waterion either side of the disk 12 from passing to the other side and maintaining a water seal around the disk, which 'prevents the entrance of atmospheric air to the runner chamber when the pumpLis in operation,

even though the portion of the chamber 13 in proximity to the shaft is in communication with the atmosphere.

I claim: 1. Acentrifugal pump, whose casing is provided with" a suction opening and an opening through which the'shaft passes,

said pump having a member inclosin'g' an auxiliary-chamber around the" shaft, which last named chamber is in communication with the runner chamber and also with saidshaft opening, a second member located in the auxiliary chamber, one of the said members being connected to rotate with the shaft, and the two members being ,con-

structed-to cooperate to'form a water seal-- between the two members at the outer porprovided with a suction opening and an opening through which the shaft passes, s'aid pump having a member inclosing an auxiliary chamber around the shaft, which auxiliary chamber is in communication with the runner chamber and also with the I said shaft opening, a second member located I said members being connected to rotate with atmosphere when the pump is in operation, -r

the shaft, the rotary member being constructed to drive the water, outwardly on the runner side and on the air inlet side with unequal force, but so proportioned as to produce a balance and form. a water seal to .pre-

vent the passage of air through the saidchamber toward the runner chamber.

5. A centrifugal pump, whpse casing is provided with a suction openin and an opening through which the sha passes, said shaft opening" communicating with the the pump having a memberain'closing an auxiliary chamber around the shaft, which last named chamber is in' communication with the runner chamber and also with said shaft opening, a'se cond member located within theauxiliary chamber, one of the said members being connected to rotate with the shaft, the rotary member being constructed to drive the water outwardly on the equal force, ut so prdportioned on the two in the auxiliary chamber, one of, the said members being connected to rotate with the shaft and having two sets of vanes, one set being on the runner side and theother set. on the air inlet side, the vanes on the latter side being the lon er.

3.-A centrifuga pump, provided with v a suction openin an an opening through which the sha passes,

said last named opening communicating with the atmosphere when'the pump is in operation,'the pump having'a member inclosing an auxiliary chamber around the shaft,-which last named chamber is in communication with the runner chamber and also with said'shaft opening, a second mem- 60 ber located within the auxiliary chamber, one of the said members being connected to rotate with the shaft, the rotary memberjbee ing constructed to drive the water outwardly Win the auxiliary chamber with greater force 'on the air inlet side than on theoppositeside.

whose casin is runner side a 4 d on the iair inlet-side with unsides as to prevent theescape of water from the runner chamber and to seal the auxiliary chamber against the passage of'air toward the runner chamber. I "6. A centrifugal pump, whose casing is provided with a suction opening and an opening through which the shaft passes, said shaft opening communicating with the atmosphere when the pump'is in operation,

the pump having a member in'closing an aux,- 11d iliary chamber around the shaft, which is in communication with the runner chamber on one side and with the said shaft opening on the other side, a second member located in the auxiliary chamber, the two members being constructed to drive the water outwardly on the runner-side in the auxiliary chamber, and the air and water outwardly on the air inlet side with such force as to produce a balance of'pressureand form a seal at the outer portion-of the auxiliary chamber.

. 7. A centrifugal pump, .whose casing is provided with a suction o ening and an opening through which the s aft-passes, said In shaft opening" communicating w1th the atmosphere when the pump is in operation, the pump having a member inclosing an auxiliary chamber around the shaft, which is in communication with the runner chamber. on one side and with the 'saidshaftopening on the other side, asecond member located'in outer portion of thevauxiliary chamber, to the auxiliary chamber, the two members he prevent the passage of 'aiitthrough the auxing constructed to drive the water outwardly iliary chamber toward theirunner chamber; 10

' on the runner side in they auxiliary chamber, and to prevent the passage of water from the -.and the air and water outwardly on" the air runner-chamber through said opening.

inlet side with such force as to produce 'a 'In-testimony'whereof Iaflixm signature.

Q balance of pressure and form a seal at the ARTHUR R. W LFLEY. I 

